MADRID ON THE HORIZON ...

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Well, it´s almost time for my feet and I to move on again. We have enjoyed losing ourselves and becoming re-acquainted with this old, very interesting and sophisticated city.

I find being the oldest single female in a hostel full of younger people attracts many reactions; from curious looks, patronising expressions, smiles, friendliness and occasionally a door held open for me. The other day, one of the staff told me he admired my spirit!

Every street has one or more authentic little cafe/bars with not a McDonald´s Burger in sight, just the locals doing as they´ve always done - eating Spanish food and catching up with friends and family. I do most of my eating in these places - the service is friendly and efficient with good coffee and food. Although Spanish authorities seem to be keen to curtail smoking in food venues, the owners have the right to choose. There seem to be a lot more of these small eateries with chairs & tables under umbrellas on the sidewalks and the smokers seem quite happy to eat and drink in the fresh air. Besides, they can exercise their 4 legged friends on the walk to and from home and everyone is satisfied!

Every day is spent wandering without any real destination in mind and gradually my feet are becoming accustomed to covering ground, instead of being tucked under a chair in front of a computer. This hostel is completely non-smoking and no alcohol is allowed inside so the evenings usually find me on the streets again in search of food and a glass of wine under the stars to cap off another great day.

Midweek, I walked over to visit La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi´s most famous gem (although gems are usually small and beautiful, yet this one is on a grand scale and very beautiful. The last 2 times I visited her, the inside still wasn´t finished but she is now. I so enjoyed the many glorious stained glass windows inside their curving stone frames and Gaudi´s complete absence of straight lines. This time I bought a ticket to take the small lift (holding 5 people) up to the top and by the time we got there, my claustrophobia was working overtime! The views were really spectacular and panoramic - you know the song "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever"? Well, it wasn´t quite forever, but almost as good! On the return journey, I took the circuitous narrow stairwell down, thinking it would save me more claustrophobia. Definitely not!! If anyone at home has climbed the Gloucester Tree in Pemberton, then you´ll know how I felt coming down. There is no inner railing and this circular stairwell keeps on going down and down.... I clung to the railing on the wall all the way and when someone wanted to pass me, I let them take the rail-less inner side and good luck to them. With feet finally on terra firma, I realised my legs were shaking - and that doesn´t happen often.

This is for my sis Jill - I walked down to Port Vell and Barceloneta Beach where we were on our Sisters Trip together. I skipped the seafood lunch, but had a coffee and also a glass of wine on my way back from the beach walk. It hasn´t changed since you and I were there - but there were more people about. Walked up to Park Guell and it is just as enjoyable, unusual and typically Gaudi. Didn´t get lost although going up all the way is definitely more challenging than when we returned, walking downhill into the city. Intended to visit Rosa @ BCN Hostal, but somehow never managed it. There is always so much to do in Barcelona.

The week has been a strange one for me: I dropped & broke my good watch on the flagstone floor, I bought on the internet with my beautiful Samsung Galaxy Note Phone another ebook to read, received the receipt for said book, but the book is nowhere to be found, also this phone doesn´t like the Spanish chip I had put into it and is now sulking, so had to return to buy an emergency phone for bookings, etc., then had to take it back because I couldn´t read the complex directions for putting the battery & chip in - no English directions. Somewhere along the way I found a nice little watch, so I didn't need to get out my travel clock to find the time. Incredibly, all this was done in the heavy and continuing downpour (it lasted all day) so joined a long queue of tourists who also didn't have an umbrella.

Next day, it was still raining and the locals were all talking about it. I just love that I can understand a large part of what they are saying. They are overjoyed because the weather station says that there has been so much rain it has measurably increased the level in the dams. Spain is like Australia in that their climaate and rainfall is similar to ours and they suffer from lack of rain just as we do. I have never seen so much rain in Spain. Pardon the pun, but at least 'the rain wasn´t on the plain', rather, it was in the city.

Anyway, it feel like either coffee or wine time, so my feet and I will go out into the street and my nose will probably do the rest for us.

Much love to my family and friends

from your wandering Ibu

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